How It All Started
by Shara1
Summary: Contains Spoilers: Souh's Daughter corners Nokoru on the subject of how he met her father.


The goddess of clamp own Clamp School Detectives, I am only borrowing them for the moment.  
  
Glossery  
  
Neko = Cat  
  
Rijichou = Chairman or President of an organization  
  
Senpi = Upper classman or business associate who is higher in rank  
  
Hai = Yes   
  
Arigatou gozaimasu = Thank you  
  
"I'm tired of reading, Uncle Nokoru." Takamura Nokori announced to the large well-appointed office around a yawn as she inserted a brown and white splotched bookmark in the shape of a slumbering neko into the book she had been reading. She set the fabric-covered hardback aside on the low table near her chair, folding her hands demurely in her lap. Bright golden eyes that matched the stylish yellow dress she wore tacked across the beautiful golden brown wood of the floor until they lighted upon the desk in the center of the room and the handsome figure seated at the desk..   
  
The man garbed in wine colored slacks, a vest of the same color and a white silk shirt that billowed out at the sleeves lifted an elfin face filled with large watercolor eyes crowned with short cut tousled blond hair from paper he had been reading, to meet Nokori's glance.   
  
"Mmm, so I see." Nokoru smiled fondly at the graceful sapphire maned girl sitting in the chair across from him. She was the daughter of Takamura Suoh one of his two closest friends. But it never had mattered to Nokori that they were not related by blood. To her, he was and always would be Uncle Nokoru. Likewise Nokoru would always consider her father and his other bosom friend Ijiun Akira as his brothers. That they both felt the same way about him and allowed him to be a part of their family was a source of constant joy for the Rijichou of CLAMP campus.   
  
Some people would consider baby sitting to be a chore. To Nokoru who hadn't thought that he would ever have the chance to take part in the raising of a child, it was a delight. Nokori was a quiet sweet tempered child who was far too clever for her own good. Then again, that was to be expected considering she was Nagissa and Suoh's daughter.   
  
Nokori's mother was one of the sweetest people alive. Nagissa's kindhearted nature endeared her to everyone she met. Few were immune to her innate gentility. Nokoru was glad to have the lovely lady's good regard. For without her unfailing friendship he would never have considered being as much a part of her family's life as he had become, despite his closeness to her husband. Her happiness and that of her husband were of utmost importance to him. The generosity of her spirit in allowing him to share her family never ceased to inspire the Nokoru.  
  
It was ironic that while he had a wealth of sisters, Nagissa was one of the few women who truly treated him as a brother. His own blood relations were far to immersed in their own careers to be able to have any kind of real relationship with him. Not that he begrudged them for keeping their distance. Being an Imonoyama held certain responsibilities both to the country and the world. He was no different from his siblings in that. The people closest to him were those he worked with on a daily basis.   
  
Takamura Suoh who served as his bodyguard as well as the school secretary, Suoh's beautiful wife Nagisa and their darling Nokori-chan. And one couldn't forget Ijuin Akira the kind hearted campus treasurer and his charming wife Utako who rounded out his chosen family. Perhaps it wasn't much, but it was all he really needed. With their help and support he was able to take care of CLAMP Campus. It was just a lucky coincidence that they also helped the cure the loneliness that someone as wealthy and in such a high position as Rijichou suffered from.  
  
"Uncle Nokoru," Nokori said in a singsong voice as she waved her small hands in the air to get her beloved uncle's attention. "Earth to Uncle Nokoru... come in Uncle."  
  
"Hmm?," Nokoru blinked owlishly as he steered his mind to the present. "I'm sorry for wandering off on you like that, I was just thinking about something."   
  
"Oh? What were you thinking about?" She asked, her wide golden eyes brightening as she leaned forward curiously, propping her elbows on her knees, and resting her pixy like chin in her cupped hands.   
  
  
  
"I was thinking of how glad I am to be able to spend this time with you." Nokoru settled the papers on his desk into some semblance of so he would know where to begin when he continued his work later. Because his back was turned he didn't see Nokori slip silently out of her chair and pad softly over to his side in a feat of stealth worthy of her Uncle Akira who just happened to be the well-known thief the mysterious twenty masks. So Nokoru was greatly surprised when Nokori slipped under the desk, climbed up onto his lap and pulled his bottom lip down peering carefully into his mouth much like a doctor would.   
  
Despite being startled by his niece's odd behavior Nokoru reached out instinctively to wrap his arms around his precariously balanced niece and keep her from falling off his lap. Nokoru glanced curiously down at her without a single clue as to why she staring so intently into his mouth. "Do I have something stuck in my teeth?" Nokoru asked lisping a little.   
  
Letting go of his lip she looked up at him with obvious disappointment written across her small face. "Your tongue is not made out of sliver." She complained with a pout, glaring at her uncle as if it were his fault that his tongue wasn't made of the precious metal.  
  
With a great effort of will Nokoru kept himself from laughing. Kids were so literal sometimes it was positively adorable. Allowing himself a small smile, Nokoru dropped a light kiss onto his niece's forehead. "And what makes you think I should have a sliver tongue?"   
  
"Mommy says that you have a silver tongue every time you say something really nice like what you just said. But she fibbed, your tongue looks just like mine."  
  
"She wasn't fibbing, Nokori." Nokoru shook his head his smile growing into a full grin. "She was using a figure of speech. When someone says that a person has a sliver tongue they mean that the person is good at flattery or saying nice things that people like to hear.   
  
Nokori's face shifted from disappointment to consideration as she tilted her head to the side in contemplation, her long blue hair flowing over her shoulders like a gentle blue wave rolling across the ocean. "It's true that you are good saying things that make people feel good."  
  
  
  
"I am only telling you how I feel, Nokori-chan. Spending time with you is a treat for me. I am usually too busy to have you all to myself like this." Turning his chair so they wouldn't be right up against the desk. Nokoru gave his niece a hug as she curled up against his chest now that she had the room to do so. Her short arms reached around his torso as far as she could stretch them.  
  
"Uncle Nokoru, can I ask you a question?""  
  
"I don't know, can you?"   
  
Nokori stuck her tongue out at her uncle. "May I ask you a question then."   
  
The rijichou looked off into the distance a long elegant finger tapping at the tip of his chin as if he were trying to decide. "Since you just asked me a question, I believe I shall have to answer yes."   
  
Sighing Nokori thumped her head against Nokoru's chest, it was handy and besides she didn't feel like leaving the warm circle of her uncle's arms just to bang her head on the wall. Feeling Nokoru's chest rise and fall with laughter, the azure hared girl leveled a glance at her uncle's puckish blue eyes.   
  
Nokoru bowed his head saying contritely," I'm sorry Nokori-chan, I couldn't help myself. Am I forgiven?" Though his eyes still held a merry twinkle.   
  
"Only if you tell me a story."  
  
  
  
This was the answer he had expected. Nokori loved hearing stories of any and every kind. "All right, I'll tell you a story. But first what was your question."  
  
A crafty expression crossed Nokori-chain's doll like visage and Nokoru wondered if he should be worried. "I've decided my question will be the subject of the story." Nokori replied looking very pleased with herself.  
  
"Oh? What will it be then?" He asked deciding that he definitely should be worried. In some ways Nokori was far too much like him.   
  
"I want to hear the story about how you and father met for the first time. His face always gets bright red blotches all over it when I ask him and he makes strange sounds in the back of his throat."  
  
Nokoru coughed into his hand to keep himself from laughing at the mental image Nokori's words conjured up.  
  
"I asked Uncle Akira about it, but he has no idea how it happened because he met up with you and father after you had been friends for a while. So I want to know how it happened." Finished with her speech Nokori looked expectantly up at her uncle.  
  
Nokoru had been expecting just about anything from his imaginative niece except the story about how he had met her father. He gazed down at her attentive face wondering if it would be wise to expose one so young to harsh reality that he lived in. A child's innocence lasts for such a short time especially considering who she was. Then again, did he have a right to keep the knowledge from her? Takamura's grew up at a very young age. Indeed, Suoh had started Nokori's martial training in the family tradition before she could walk unassisted. It might be useful for her to know of the possible dangers. Silence descended over the room as Nokoru wrestled with his thoughts.   
  
Resting her cheek against Nokoru's dark red vest Nokori, waited patiently for her Uncle's response. Uncle Nokoru always smelled wonderful and today was no exception. It was a fresh salty sent that reminded Nokori of the ocean. Idly she wondered what kind of cologne it was and if she might be able to get her father to wear some.   
  
Unable to chose Nokrou decided that since it was Nokori's innocence that was in jeopardy, that she should have a say in the matter. "I'll tell you the story if you want me to. But I should warn you that it isn't a happy tale.   
  
"That's all right because I know it has a happy ending." Countered brightly her whole face alight with excitement.   
  
Acquiescing Nokoru shrugged," I have to agree with you there. Getting to know your father was one of the best things that ever happened to me."  
  
On his way to bring Nokoru and Nokori some tea, Akira was about to open the door when he overheard his friend and niece talking. The nimble raven hared thief froze in place pressing his ear against the door. Large silver eyes gleamed with triumph. For this was a story that he too, longed to hear. For over twenty years he had wondered how his two best friends had met and now it seemed he was finally going to find out.  
  
Such was Nokori's joy when she realized that her uncle was going to tell her the story, that she nearly bounced herself right off of his lap.   
  
"Settle down now or you won't get your story." Was Nokoru's threat to his energetic charge. He bit back a smile when she immediately stopped her wriggling and calmly met his eyes with her golden gaze.   
  
On the other side of the door Akira held his breath chanting silently to himself. 'Oh please, please, be good and do as he asks!'   
  
"It all started in the summer when I was in the third grade." Nokoru began in a soft mellow tone that was very pleasant on the ears.   
  
Relief scrolled across the elegant planes of the thief's face. Akira let his breath slip carefully out upon hearing his friend's familiar voice. His luck was holding so far.  
  
'Uncle is very good at telling stories,' Nokori thought to herself. 'But that makes sense considering all the public speaking he has to do.' Shifting to the side Nokori rested her head in the crook of her uncle's arm closing her eyes to better picture the story as it unfolded before her.  
  
"Your father was in the second grade at that time. And one day in the summer we both happened to be out in the gardens admiring the sunflowers. Some of ladies who were also out in the gardens wished to take a picture of me. That was when some of them noticed your father. Then and there they decided they would like a picture of both of us. The ladies converged upon him, pleading with him to let them take his picture." Nokoru smiled at the memory of the spirited young ladies flocking around the startled and embarrassed Takamura.   
  
"Suoh wasn't very enthusiastic about having his picture taken with me. In fact, when I first said hello his greeting was quite cold."   
  
"But that can't be!" Nokori's distressed cry filled the room. In the hallway a dark head nodded in silent agreement. "You and he are the best of friends!"  
  
Nokoru nuzzled his niece's dark blue hair reassuringly. "It's all right Nokori. I warned you that this story wasn't all nice before we started. Did you want me to stop now?"  
  
Suoh's daughter thought about stopping the story now. It had just started and already it was a stressful story. But she still wanted to know how father and uncle Nokoru met. If Nokoru stopped now she might never find out. "It has a happy ending right?"  
  
"It has a very happy ending." Nokoru responded to the uncertain waver in Nokori's voice by wrapping her more tightly in his arms. "But if you want me to stop now I will."   
  
Akira's hands started to shake knowing how close he was to losing this one chance at finding out what had happened between Nokoru-rijichou and Suoh-senpi all those years ago. Why had Suoh been hostile? And what had happed that made a hostile Suoh-senpi have such a severe about face in his feelings towards Nokoru-rijichou? Pondering these questions he set the tea tray down on the floor before his trembling hands could cause the dishes to rattle.  
  
Pulling herself up Nokori gave her uncle a determined look. "No, I want to know what happened."   
  
"You're certain?"   
  
"I am," Nokori replied with more confidence than she felt.  
  
"We are very close now just as you said. But back then Suoh didn't really know me. No one did really. I don't let most people get too close to me." Nokoru continued the story as if no interruptions had taken place.   
  
"A lot of people know you, Uncle Nokoru," Nokori interjected tilting her head to give her uncle a confused glance out of the corner of her eye.  
  
Nokoru shook his head his depthless blue eyes dark with sadness. "A lot of people think they know me. Only a handful of those people have any real understanding of me. I wish I could have more friends, but I can't."  
  
Nodding to himself, Akira was glad there was a reasonable explanation for Suoh's hostility. Nokoru sometimes appeared to be carefree and outgoing, while Suoh was stoic and hardworking. Since it had been their first meeting it was very possible that Takamura-senpi couldn't see beyond the mask Rijichou still wore in public.   
  
A soft silence filled the room as Nokori tried to figure out the facts her uncle had given her. No matter how she tried to add things up, she still couldn't make any sense of the situation. "I don't understand. What do you mean that they think they know you, but don't really know you at all?   
  
"I am good at redirecting people's attention away from myself onto other people or things. In this way I managed to keep everyone safely at a distance. That is, until I met your father." Nokoru shivered inside at the thought of how perilously close he had come to sealing himself away from everyone and everything. If he had succeeded . . .no, it was best not to think about that.  
  
"Why would you want to keep people away? You can have as many friends as you want. Everybody needs friends." Nokori waved an admonishing hand at her uncle.  
  
"How very wise you are," Nokoru smiled gently at the lovely little girl in his arms. "Yes, you're right. Everyone needs friends, but I was afraid to make friends."  
  
"Afraid? You were afraid?" Nokori asked eyes wide in amazement. Clearly she was having trouble accepting that her uncle had ever been afraid.  
  
Nokori sounded so astonished that Nokoru found himself grinning despite the haunted feeling that had come over him. "Everyone is afraid of something, Nokori-chan. Back when I first met your father, one of my biggest fears was and still is that people could get hurt just because they are around me. Being highly intelligent and wealthy makes me an appealing target for those people who would do anything to get whatever they want. I had been kidnapped more times than I can count by the time I met Suoh, and I decided early on that no one was going to get hurt or possibly even killed just because I wanted to have a friend.   
  
Crystal tears formed at the edges of Akira's eyelids as his silver grey eyes closed in shared pain. Akira had seen the deep bouts of despair and depression that sometimes preyed upon his dear friend. It was bad enough that Nokoru had to suffer so much simply because he had such a caring heart. Akira couldn't even begin to imagine how terribly alone Nokoru must have been before he had met Takamura-senpi.   
  
  
  
"So that's why you kept people away. But if you weren't going to make any friends, how did you become friends with my father?" Nokori's voice still sounded puzzled.  
  
"Your father was a puzzle, he didn't react the way I was used to people reacting to me. I have never been able to walk away from a puzzle without stopping at least once to try and solve it. Besides, it hurt to be rejected for no real reason that I could see. So I checked up on his background and decided I would try at the very least to find out why he had been so hostile." Nokoru lifted his hand to his niece's head and weaved his fingers into the thick dark tresses of Nokori's azure mane. He found the sensation of his fingers sliding though the silky mass to be very soothing. From the way Nokori was leaning into his hand like a neko begging for more attention she was enjoying the contact as well.   
  
"So what did you find out." Nokori asked as she gently butted her head against his fingers when they stopped moving through her hair.  
  
Smiling he continued caressing her soft hair watching as the light played across the dark strands like liquid silver. "I found that your father was top in his class and that he had earned dans in several martial arts even though that isn't normally allowed in grade school. Though it's not all that unusual to have exceptional students at Clamp Campus. Something about his family nudged the back of my mind when I read his files. But I couldn't figure out what it was. Which just made him all the more intriguing. So, that afternoon I invited him to go to a park near the school grounds to have some ice-candy with me. He was startled by the invitation but too polite to refuse."  
  
"So you got to know each other at the park and that is how you became friends?" Nokori sounded dissatisfied with so mundane an ending. She had hoped the story would be a little more exciting.  
  
"No, It wasn't to be nearly so simple as that." Nokoru assured his niece with the ring of laughter in his light voice.  
  
"Really?" Nokori's ears perked up her attention recaptured.   
  
"Hai, we sat down to have some ice candies and talked a little bit. Then I saw some birds near the fountain and decided to play with them. As I played with the birds a group of strange men surrounded me. I realized what was happening far to late to do anything about it. There were too many of them and they were armed.   
  
Nokori and Akira gasped together the latter quickly covered his mouth hoping the sound could not be heard through the door. Even though he knew the event was long past, Akira's heart constricted with fear at the thought of his friend surrounded by armed men. Shifting into a more comfortable position against the door he felt cold dread come over him. He really didn't like where the story was heading. Something deep inside told him it would only get worse before it got better.   
  
"That's terrible!" The blue hared pixy cried, her body stiffening upright as her small hands curled up into angry fists. "What happened? Did father teach those bad men a lesson?"   
  
"He tried, but he hadn't been expecting to be attacked by such a large group. I on the other hand, should have expected the attack."   
  
"It wasn't your fault, Uncle. It was the bad men who were doing wrong." Nokori's hair shimmered as it swayed to the sudden shaking of her head.   
  
"Ah, but I should have known better." Nokoru disagreed. "I tried to get them to leave Suoh out of the confrontation. They were only after me after all. But your father wouldn't give up. That was the last thing I remember. Shortly after that someone knocked me out with sleeping gas." Nokoru saw Suoh in his daughter's face as Nokori's golden eyes narrowed dangerously at the thought of anyone doing so horrible a thing to her beloved uncle.   
  
"I can see that this story is upsetting you, Nokori. Maybe it would be better if I stopped now." Nokoru asked as he reached out and brushed the back of his hand along the side of his niece's fierce visage.   
  
The smoldering anger in Nokori's fire bright eyes transmuted into pleading. "You can't stop now, Uncle! I need to know what happened."  
  
Akira nodded emphatically as he seconded his niece even though the pair behind the door didn't know he was there. In all the times he had tried to imagine what the meeting between Suoh and Nokoru had been like he hadn't ever considered that it had been this desperate.   
  
Nodding in acceptance Nokoru warned, "All right I'll keep going, but I am warning you now that it just gets worse from here on out, until the very end."   
  
"You're sure the story has a happy ending?" Nokori asked looking dubious.  
  
"I am absolutely positive that it has a good ending. Your father and I are still around aren't we? And we are still friends too." Amusement played across Nokoru's hansom face.  
  
Sheepishly dropping her eyes to her lap Nokori laughed self depreciatingly. "I forgot that part."   
  
"When I woke up, I was in a comfortable room with a large bay window with a long window seat. There was no sign of your father anywhere. Of course the door and windows were all locked. I knew wasn't going to be going anywhere for a while, so I sat down and waited for my capture to appear."  
  
"Where did they take father?" Nokori fidgeted nervously on Nokoru's knee as she waited for her uncle's answer.  
  
"They locked him into a holding cell somewhere on the lower levels of the building. But at the time I had no idea where he was or if he was even alive."  
  
My capture was a lady who called herself Casablanca. She tried to threaten me into giving myself over to her. I refused," Nokoru's eyes darkened a harder look crossing his refined features than Nokori had ever seen her uncle wear.  
  
Nokori shivered at the sight. She'd seen her father with a look like that before and it hadn't bowed well for those the look was aimed at. But such intensity coming from her cheerful and charming uncle was a little frightening.   
  
"I am sorry if I frightened you, Nokori. But the memory isn't a pleasant one for me. I don't like it when people I am responsible for are threatened. You see, she threatened to hurt Suoh if I did not agree to do as she required." Nokoru explained gently rubbing his niece's back when he noticed Nokori's shaking.  
  
"Oh no!" Nokori exclaimed fretfully. "What did you do?"  
  
It was easy for Akira to picture Nokoru staring defiantly up at his captor, the rijichou might be flighty at times, but when a life hung in the balance he was deadly serious. A serious Nokoru-rijichou was not someone anyone would want as an enemy. Still Akira couldn't bring himself to feel sorry for the woman who threatened his two best friends.   
  
"There was little I could do," Nokoru answered with a shrug. "I couldn't let your father get hurt on account of me. So I said that I understood what she was telling me. A moment later your father burst into the room."  
  
With a loud cheer Nokori bounced happily up and down until her uncle placed a gentle restraining hand on her shoulder to keep her from tipping the chair over.  
  
"I was glad to see that he was all right, but I knew if he continued to fight he'd very likely get hurt. I didn't want that so when he tried to pull me out of the room I resisted. I had gotten him into this mess, but I was determined that he wasn't going to suffer any more than he already had because of me."  
  
"He let you stay there?" Nokori squeaked in disbelief. That didn't sound like what her father would do.  
  
Warm laughter filled the room dissolving some of the tension that had built up. Nokoru shook his head a tarnished halo of short wavy blond hair that reflected the light from the lamp on the desk. "Not at all, in fact he was most insistent that we leave. But he stopped when I told him I didn't want him to get hurt. We just stood there staring at each other. It was as if time had stopped. Something changed between us at that moment. Perhaps it was the very first time your father actually saw me for who I really am. That is when the inklings in the back of my mind suddenly made sense and I understood the connection between your family name and Suoh's martial prowess. I knew then that if we could work together we had a very good chance at escaping. Armed with this new knowledge I began searching the floor.  
  
Nokori gave her uncle a nonplussed look.  
  
"Your father reacted much the same way," Nokoru said smiling, his blue eyes shining playfully.   
  
"Why were you searching the floor? Did you find what you were looking for?" The blue hared pixy scrunched up her face totally baffled.   
  
"I found exactly what I was looking for. There was a trap door. I had heard the sound of gears earlier in my confinement and reasoned that it was probable a trap door was hidden somewhere in the room. All I had to do was find it. Suoh managed to distract the kidnappers giving me enough time to find the hidden exit."  
  
"Then you escaped?" Nokori looked hopeful.  
  
"Not quite yet, after running through several corridors with shutters sealing off our path we managed to get up to the roof."   
  
"But how did you get off the roof?" Nokori's eyes were saucers as a thought came to her. "You didn't try to jump off did you? Were they still after you?"  
  
"Hai, they cornered us on the roof only a few moments later. Chuckling Nokoru shook his head in a definite negative. "But no, we didn't jump. We used my secret weapon."  
  
"And what was that?" Nokori asked with a grin because she knew her uncle's love of gadgets.   
  
"My penguin."   
  
"A p-penguin? You were being chased by a bunch of mean people and you stopped them with a penguin?"  
  
Nokoru laughed at the utterly lost look on his namesake's face. "It wasn't an ordinary penguin. And I never said we stopped the kidnappers with it. Eventually, we used it to get away."  
  
In the hallway Akira's lips were making a O as he finally understood the connection between Nokoru's penguin blimp and his friends first meeting.   
  
Nokori stilled then, as her uncle's face grew more serious. It was almost as if he had forgotten that she was in his arms. "Casablanca was very angry that I had refused to do as she asked. As she promised, she pulled out a gun and was fully intending to shoot Suoh. I will never forget the sound of that gunshot. . ."  
  
Clutching Nokoru's arms Nokori looked up in horror, firmly reminding herself that everything had worked out. Both her father and Nokoru were still alive and well. "What happened to father?" Nokori finally found the courage to ask though her voice sounded far more timid than usual.  
  
  
  
Akira nearly jumped out of his skin as a strong callused hand fell to his shoulder. Only years of being a thief enabled him to keep from crying out as he turned to face his assailant. He ducked his head guiltily as he looked into the guilded eyes of Nokori's father, who offered an amused smile in return. Suoh trained in the ways of a ninja was probably one of the few people in the world who could have caught him so off guard.  
  
Suoh leaned over Akira's shoulder to rap on the door before the thief could do anything to stop him.   
  
"No, wait..."Akira pleaded reaching up to hold onto the ninja's arm with both hands.  
  
But it was already too late. The door swung open and Suoh stepped inside. Akira pushed himself up from the floor. There was no reason for him not to enter the room now. He knew for a fact that Nokoru had seen him. Picking up the tray he quietly walked over to the desk and set it down trying hard not to look at his friends.   
  
Having heard his daughter's question, Suoh knew what Nokori and her uncle had been discussing. It also explained why Akira had been crouched in front of the door. "Nothing happened to me, Nokori." The tall wide shouldered ninja assured his little girl.  
  
Looking up at the sound of Suoh's voice Nokoru smiled at his old friend as Nokori slipped off his lap to bow to her father before bounding up to give him a hug.   
  
When Nokori felt her father had been properly and thoroughly welcomed golden eyes lifted to meet an identical set of golden eyes. "If you weren't shot, what happened? Was she a bad shot?" Nokori asked her father.  
  
"No the kidnapper was a good shot. I didn't get hit because your uncle stepped in the way of the bullet so it would hit him instead of me." Suoh was looking at Nokoru who was staring down at a fan that had suddenly appeared in his hands.  
  
"And you let him?" Akira asked the blue haired ninja his large silver eyes wide with surprise as he brushed the dust that had gotten onto his black pants as he knelt by the door.  
  
"I would have stopped him if I had known what he was going to do. But it happened so fast there wasn't anything I could do to stop it." Suoh admitted to Akira before he turned his attention to his golden hared chosen. "However if you ever try something so foolish ever again, you will have to deal with me."  
  
Silence rained as Nokoru suddenly became very interested in the pattern of wood grain on the floor. He would certainly try to abide by Suoh's wishes, but when push came to shove he didn't think he could make any promises.   
  
Nokori turned back to her uncle her face stricken. "Did it hurt?"  
  
"Yes," Nokoru answered slowly not looking up. "It was quite painful. But it didn't hurt nearly as much as it would have, if I had been responsible for your father's death."  
  
"Is that when you knew you wanted to chose uncle Nokoru?" Nokori asked turning to look at her father.   
  
Suoh nodded crossing to stand next to his old friend to drop a comforting hand on Nokoru's shoulder His normally serious face softened with understanding. "That confirmed it, though I think I had actually decided before that point."  
  
Nokoru graced Suoh with a grateful smile, lifting an elegant hand to cover the one on his shoulder.   
  
"Did anything else happen?" Akira asked beaming as he watched the interaction between his two best friends. It dawned on him then that he owed a great debt to Suoh. If the ninja hadn't come along when he did and befriended Nokoru, he might never have had the chance to meet either of them. From what he had heard Nokoru had been well on the way to driving himself crazy with loneliness. No one as empathic as the rijichou was could have survived being so totally cut off from everyone for very long.  
  
"Not really, he bandaged up my wound and then we escaped on the penguin." Nokoru replied softly as he rubbed his shoulder remembering.  
  
Nokoru reached out to take a cup of tea, spluttering when he realized how cold it was. "Akira how long were you sitting outside the door?"   
  
Akria blushed about three different shades of red. "Ah...Gomen nasai," Akira bowed his apologies deftly taking the glass from his friend's hand. "I think I'll go make some more tea." Setting the cup down he picked up the tray and fled the room.  
  
"Wait for me Uncle Akira, I'll help." Nokori rushed after her tall dark uncle.  
  
"Nokori, what do you say when someone is kind enough to tell you a story?" Suoh's resonate voice stopped his daughter mid step.  
  
Whirling around Nokori bobbed down in a hasty bow, "Arigatou gozaimasu, Uncle Nokoru for telling me the story!"   
  
Nodding as she looked at him for permission to go Suoh rolled his eyes heavenward. Nokoru's soft chuckle brought his attention back to the twinkling blue eyes that were looking up at him filled with delight.   
  
"You can pretend that you aren't enjoying yourself all you like. But you aren't fooling me." Giving his friend's hand a squeeze Nokoru turned back to the work Nokori had interrupted.  
  
Suoh didn't respond aloud, but the warmth of the smile on his strong face as he glanced over Nokoru's shoulder to see how far the he had gotten was answer enough. 


End file.
